[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 126 (Thursday, August 1, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5782-S5786]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. Schatz, and Mrs. Gillibrand):
  S. 4990. A bill to comprehensively combat child marriage in the 
United States; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                S. 4990

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Child Marriage Prevention 
     Act of 2024''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds the following:
       (1) Over 300,000 minors were married in the United States 
     between 2000 and 2018. Most were wed to adult men and some 
     were as young as 10 years of age, though most were 16 or 17 
     years of age.
       (2) Child marriage limits educational opportunities. Women 
     who marry before they turn 19 years of age are 50 percent 
     more likely to drop out of high school and 4 times less 
     likely to graduate from college.
       (3) Girls who marry in their early teens are up to 31 
     percent more likely to live in future poverty.
       (4) Child marriage has harmful consequences for mental and 
     physical health. Women who married as children have higher 
     rates of certain psychiatric disorders. Another study found 
     that women who marry before 19 years of age have a 23 percent 
     greater risk of developing a serious health condition, 
     including diabetes, cancer, heart attack, or stroke.
       (5) Child marriage can facilitate physical, emotional, and 
     verbal abuse. Girls and young women 16 to 24 years of age 
     experience the highest rates of intimate partner violence, 
     and girls 16 to 19 years of age experience intimate partner 
     violence victimization rates that are almost triple the 
     national average. Further, the majority of States allow 
     marriage to be used as a defense to statutory rape laws, 
     which can incentivize perpetrators to marry victims to 
     preempt prosecutions.
       (6) 70 to 80 percent of marriages entered into when at 
     least one person is under 18 years of age ultimately end in 
     divorce. According to one study based on census data, 23 
     percent of children who marry are already separated or 
     divorced by the time they turn 18 years of age.
       (7) Depending on the State, a child facing a forced 
     marriage or a married minor trying to leave may find 
     themselves with few options. A minor trying to avoid a forced 
     marriage may not be able to leave home without being taken 
     into custody and returned by police and may not be able to 
     stay in a domestic violence shelter at all or in a youth 
     shelter for longer than a few days. Friends or allies of a 
     child escaping a marriage who offer to take them in could 
     risk being charged with contributing to the delinquency of a 
     minor or harboring a runaway. And, if the minor attempts to 
     obtain a home of their own, they may find no one willing to 
     rent to them, because in many circumstances, minors cannot be 
     held to contracts they enter.
       (8) Depending on the State, a minor who is being forced or 
     coerced into marriage may not be entitled to file on their 
     own for a protective order. Further, not all States clearly 
     treat married minors as emancipated, meaning they still have 
     the limited legal status and rights of a child and face 
     similar vulnerabilities and challenges seeking help.
       (9) Child marriage in the United States can also be 
     facilitated through the immigration system. Subject to rare 
     exceptions, United States immigration law recognizes 
     marriages as valid if they were legal where they took place 
     and where the parties will reside. U.S. Citizenship and 
     Immigration Services reported that between fiscal year 2007 
     and fiscal year 2017, it approved 8,686 petitions for spousal 
     or fiance visas that involved at least one minor, though it 
     remains unclear how many of these visas were ultimately 
     approved by the Department of State. However, approximately 
     2.6 percent of fiance and spousal petitions were returned 
     unapproved to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 
     between fiscal year 2007 and fiscal year 2017. It is 
     therefore reasonable to conclude that the United States 
     issued a visa to a significant number of the spouses and 
     fiances named on the 8,686 petitions
       (10) Four States set no statutory minimum age for marriage. 
     In 13 States and the District of Columbia, clerks acting on 
     their own - without judges - can issue marriage licenses for 
     all minors. Four States permit pregnancy to lower the minimum 
     marriage age and in one State, Mississippi, the statute sets 
     different conditions for approvals for girls and boys.
       (11) There is a growing movement to eliminate child 
     marriage in the United States and 13 States - Delaware, New 
     Jersey, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Rhode Island, New York, 
     Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Michigan, Washington, 
     Virginia, and New Hampshire have set the minimum age for 
     marriage at 18 years of age, with no exceptions. Since 2016, 
     a total of 35 States have enacted new laws to end or limit 
     child marriage with 5 more States requiring parties to be 
     legal adults (meaning that the only exception to the 
     requirement to be 18 years of age to be married is for 
     certain court-emancipated minors). Until all States take 
     action, however, the patchwork of State laws will continue to 
     put all children, particularly girls, at risk, given the ease 
     with which they can be taken out of their home State into 
     another State with lax or no laws.
       (12) The foreign policy of the United States is already 
     imbued with these understandings that child marriage is 
     harmful and should be prevented, including the following:
       (A) The Department of State in its Foreign Affairs Manual 
     states the Federal Government view of ``forced marriage to be 
     a violation of basic human rights. It also considers the 
     forced marriage of a minor child to be a form of child abuse, 
     since the child will presumably be subjected to non-
     consensual sex.''.
       (B) The United States Agency for International Development 
     observes that Child, Early, and Forced Marriage (In this 
     paragraph referred to as ``CEFM'') ``impedes girls' education 
     and increases early pregnancy and the risk of maternal 
     mortality, obstetric complications, gender-based violence, 
     and HIV/AIDS. Children of young mothers have higher rates of 
     infant mortality and malnutrition compared to children of 
     mothers older than 18. . . . CEFM is also associated with 
     reductions in economic productivity for individuals and 
     nations at large. CEFM is a human rights abuse and a practice 
     that undermines efforts to promote sustainable growth and 
     development.''.
       (C) Congress enacted the Violence Against Women 
     Reauthorization Act of 2013 (Public Law 113-4; 127 Stat. 54), 
     which requires the Secretary of State to establish and 
     implement a multiyear strategy--
       (i) to ``prevent child marriages''; and
       (ii) to ``promote the empowerment of girls at risk of child 
     marriage in developing countries''.
       (13) In 2021, the National Strategy on Gender Equity and 
     Equality named child marriage as a form of gender-based 
     violence that undermines human rights globally and 
     domestically, noting--

[[Page S5783]]

       (A) ``Millions of women and girls remain at risk of female 
     genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and child, early and 
     forced marriage, forms of gender-based violence that 
     undermine security and human rights, including here in the 
     United States''; and
       (B) ``In the United States, we will collaborate with state 
     officials to prevent and address harmful practices that 
     undermine human rights, including laws that permit child, 
     early and forced marriage . . . and ensure access to social 
     services for those harmed.''.
       (14) The report titled ``U.S. National Plan to End Gender-
     Based Violence: Strategies for Action,'' published in May, 
     2023, which focuses on preventing and addressing various 
     forms of interpersonal violence occurring within the United 
     States, defines gender-based violence as a ``range of 
     interpersonal violence across the life course'' including 
     child, early, and forced marriage.

     SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Noncitizen.--The term ``noncitizen'' means any person 
     who is not a citizen or national of the United States.
       (2) State.--The term ``State'' means each of the several 
     States, the District of Columbia, and any commonwealth, 
     territory, or possession of the United States.

     SEC. 4. FEDERAL COMMISSION TO ADDRESS CHILD MARRIAGE.

       (a) In General.--There is established within the Department 
     of Health and Human Services a commission, to be known as the 
     National Commission to Combat Child Marriage in the United 
     States (in this section referred to as the ``Commission''), 
     which shall--
       (1) conduct a comprehensive study on child marriage in the 
     United States, including--
       (A) applicable laws, or the absence of laws, which define 
     or prohibit child marriage;
       (B) the extent to which such marriages currently occur;
       (C) the extent to which such marriages occurred over the 
     last 5 years in each State;
       (D) the circumstances in which such marriages take place 
     (including risk factors that may have played a role in such 
     marriages taking place); and
       (E) the impact of such marriages on the individuals who 
     were married before turning 18 years of age;
       (2) build upon the evaluations of other entities and avoid 
     unnecessary duplication, by reviewing the findings, 
     conclusions, and recommendations of other commissions, the 
     Federal Government, State and local governments, State task 
     forces, and nongovernmental entities relating to child 
     marriage in the United States;
       (3) submit a report on specific findings, conclusions, and 
     recommendations to eliminate child marriage in the United 
     States to--
       (A) the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on 
     Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate;
       (B) the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on 
     Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives;
       (C) the Secretary of Health and Human Services; and
       (4) carry out other duties as described in subsection (c).
       (b) Composition of Commission.--
       (1) Members.--The Commission shall be composed of 10 
     members, of whom--
       (A) 1 member shall be appointed by the President;
       (B) 1 member, who is of a different political party than 
     that of the member appointed under paragraph (1), shall be 
     appointed by the President;
       (C) 4 members shall be appointed by the Secretary of Health 
     and Human Services;
       (D) 1 member shall be appointed by the majority leader of 
     the Senate;
       (E) 1 member shall be appointed by the minority leader of 
     the Senate;
       (F) 1 member shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House 
     of Representatives; and
       (G) 1 member shall be appointed by the minority leader of 
     the House of Representatives.
       (2) Governmental appointees.--An individual appointed to 
     the Commission may not be an officer or employee of the 
     Federal Government.
       (3) Commission representation.--The Commission shall 
     include at least--
       (A) 1 survivor of child marriage;
       (B) 1 representative from a private nonprofit entity with 
     demonstrated expertise in working with survivors of child 
     marriage in the United States;
       (C) 1 representative from a private nonprofit entity with 
     demonstrated expertise in working with immigrant survivors of 
     child marriage in the United States; and
       (D) 1 representative from a private nonprofit entity with 
     demonstrated expertise in working with State governments to 
     limit child marriage.
       (4) Qualifications.--Members appointed under paragraph (1) 
     shall have demonstrated experience or expertise in--
       (A) providing services to survivors of child marriage in 
     the United States;
       (B) providing services to immigrant survivors of child 
     marriage in the United States;
       (C) working with State governments to limit child marriage;
       (D) the medical challenges that survivors of child marriage 
     face;
       (E) the mental health challenges that survivors of child 
     marriage face;
       (F) legal issues involving individuals who were married or 
     sought to marry before becoming 18 years of age;
       (G) conducting research on the impact of child marriage on 
     individuals who were married before becoming 18 years of age;
       (H) risk factors that play a role in child marriage; or
       (I) issues of forced or coerced marriage, family violence, 
     sexual assault, human trafficking, or child abuse.
       (5) Initial meeting.--Not later than 120 days after the 
     appointment of members of the Commission, the Commission 
     shall--
       (A) hold an initial meeting, at which the members shall 
     elect a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson, who shall be of 
     different political parties, from among such members and 
     shall determine a schedule of Commission meetings; and
       (B) begin the operations of the Commission.
       (6) Quorum and vacancy.--
       (A) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission 
     shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may 
     hold hearings.
       (B) Vacancy.--Any vacancy in the Commission shall not 
     affect its powers and shall be filled in the same manner in 
     which the original appointment was made.
       (c) Duties of the Commission.--The Commission shall--
       (1) conduct pursuant to subsection (a) a comprehensive 
     study that examines and assesses the adequacy of laws 
     addressing child marriage, the extent of child marriage 
     across the country, risk factors that play a role in child 
     marriage, and the impact of child marriage on those 
     individuals in the United States who marry before becoming 18 
     years of age, including making specific findings relating 
     to--
       (A) threats to such individuals' safety and well-being, 
     including--
       (i) physical and mental health, economic, and educational 
     impacts;
       (ii) forced or coerced marriage;
       (iii) family violence;
       (iv) vulnerability to abuse and exploitation;
       (v) sexual assault;
       (vi) child abuse and neglect; and
       (vii) human trafficking;
       (B) barriers to and gaps in services for minors facing the 
     threat of forced marriage or already married minors seeking 
     protection from abuse;
       (C) Federal laws, regulations, policies, and programs 
     relevant to child marriage and individuals who marry before 
     becoming 18 years of age; and
       (D) based on a survey of such laws, State laws defining or 
     prohibiting child marriage, including lessons learned from 
     States that have, or that lack, laws, regulations, and 
     policies to limit child marriage; and
       (2) submit to the President, the Secretary of Health and 
     Human Services, and Congress a report on the specific 
     findings, conclusions, and recommendations to address and 
     ultimately eliminate child marriage in the United States and 
     improve services and outcomes for survivors of child marriage 
     in the United States, including specific recommendations on 
     policies, regulations, and legislative changes as the 
     Commission considers appropriate to address child marriage in 
     the United States.
       (d) Powers of the Commission.--
       (1) Hearings.--The Commission may hold such hearings, meet 
     and act at such times and places, and receive such evidence 
     as may be necessary to carry out the functions of the 
     Commission.
       (2) Information from federal agencies.--
       (A) In general.--The Commission may access, to the extent 
     authorized by law, from any executive department, bureau, 
     agency, board, commission, office, independent establishment, 
     or instrumentality of the Federal Government such 
     information, suggestions, estimates, and statistics as the 
     Commission considers necessary to carry out this section.
       (B) Provision of information.--On written request of the 
     Chairperson of the Commission, each department, bureau, 
     agency, board, commission, office, independent establishment, 
     or instrumentality shall, to the extent authorized by law, 
     provide the requested information to the Commission.
       (C) Receipt, handling, storage, and dissemination.--
     Information shall only be received, handled, stored, and 
     disseminated by members of the Commission and its staff 
     consistent with all applicable statutes, regulations, and 
     Executive orders.
       (3) Listening sessions.--The Commission shall organize and 
     facilitate listening sessions with survivors of, advocates on 
     issues relating to, and experts on child marriage in order to 
     discharge its duties under this section.
       (4) Donations.--The Commission may accept, use, and dispose 
     of donations of services or property.
       (5) Postal services.--The Commission may use the United 
     States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions 
     as a department or agency of the United States.
       (e) Travel Expenses.--Each member of the Commission shall 
     serve without compensation, but shall receive travel 
     expenses, including per diem in lieu of subsistence, in 
     accordance with applicable provisions in the same manner as 
     persons employed intermittently in the Government service are 
     allowed expenses under section 5703 of title 5, United States 
     Code.
       (f) Federal Advisory Committee Act Applicability.--Chapter 
     10 of title 5, United

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     States Code, shall apply to the Commission, including the 
     staff of the Commission.
       (g) Reports of Commission and Termination.--
       (1) Interim report.--The Commission shall, not later than 1 
     year after the date of the initial meeting of the Commission, 
     submit to the President and Congress an interim report 
     containing specific findings, conclusions, and 
     recommendations required under this section as have been 
     agreed to by a majority of Commission members.
       (2) Other reports and information.--
       (A) Reports.--The Commission may issue additional reports 
     as the Commission determines necessary.
       (B) Information.--The Commission may hold public hearings 
     to collect information and shall make such information 
     available for use by the public.
       (3) Final report.--The Commission shall, not later than 2 
     years after the date of the initial meeting of the 
     Commission, submit a final report containing specific 
     findings, conclusions, and recommendations required under 
     this section as have been agreed to by a majority of 
     Commission members to--
       (A) the President;
       (B) the Secretary of Health and Human Services;
       (C) the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on 
     Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate; and
       (D) the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on 
     Education and the Workforce of the House of Representatives.
       (4) Termination.--
       (A) In general.--The Commission, and all the authorities of 
     this section, shall terminate 180 days after the date on 
     which the final report is submitted under paragraph (3).
       (B) Records.--Not later than the date of termination of the 
     Commission under subparagraph (A), all records and papers of 
     the Commission shall be delivered to the Archivist of the 
     United States for deposit in the National Archives.
       (h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out this section, $1,500,000 for 
     each of fiscal years 2027 and 2028.

     SEC. 5. GAO REPORTS.

       (a) Definition.--In this section, the term ``appropriate 
     committees of Congress'' means the Committee on the Judiciary 
     and the Committee on Health, Education, and Labor, and 
     Pensions of the Senate and the Committee on the Judiciary and 
     the Committee on Education and the Workforce of the House of 
     Representatives.
       (b) Child Marriage in the United States.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 3 years after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United 
     States shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress 
     a report describing--
       (A) Federal laws, regulations, policies, and programs 
     relevant to child marriage and individuals who marry before 
     becoming 18 years of age;
       (B) applicable laws, or the absence of laws, which define 
     or prohibit child marriage;
       (C) the extent to which such marriages occurred during the 
     5-year period ending on the date of enactment of this Act in 
     each State; and
       (D) research and studies published during the 10-year 
     period ending on the date of enactment of this Act 
     assessing--
       (i) the common or typical circumstances in which such 
     marriages take place, including information indicating the 
     prevalence of forced or coerced marriage and risk factors 
     that may have played a role in such marriages taking place; 
     and
       (ii) the impact of such marriages on the individuals who 
     were married before turning 18 years of age in the United 
     States, including the impact on the safety and well-being of 
     such individuals, including--

       (I) medical and mental health;
       (II) economic and educational outcomes;
       (III) risk of or vulnerability to--

       (aa) family violence;
       (bb) abuse or exploitation;
       (cc) sexual assault;
       (dd) child abuse or neglect; or
       (ee) human trafficking; and

       (IV) barriers to and gaps in services for minors facing the 
     threat of forced marriage or already married minors seeking 
     protection from abuse.

       (2) Assistance in obtaining information.--The Comptroller 
     General of the United States may request that States provide 
     the information necessary to address the portion of the 
     report required under paragraph (1)(C).
       (c) Child Marriage and Immigration.--
       (1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, and every 2 years thereafter through 
     2030, the Comptroller General of the United States shall 
     submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a report 
     that assesses the extent to which--
       (A) noncitizens who were under 18 years of age on the date 
     of marriage are admitted to the United States as 
     beneficiaries of approved petitions submitted by the United 
     States citizen or lawful permanent resident spouses of the 
     noncitizens; and
       (B) the United States has admitted nonimmigrant spouses 
     who, on the date on which a nonimmigrant visa petition was 
     submitted for the principal noncitizens, were under 18 years 
     of age.
       (2) Elements.--Each report required under paragraph (1) 
     shall include the following:
       (A) For each petition described in paragraph (1)(A) 
     approved during the 2-year period preceding the report--
       (i) the gender of the beneficiary and petitioner;
       (ii) the ages of the beneficiary and petitioner on--

       (I) the date of the marriage;
       (II) the date on which the petition was submitted; and
       (III) the date on which the petition was approved; and

       (iii) in the case of a noncitizen who was under 18 years of 
     age on the date on which such a petition was submitted, a 
     description of the basis upon which the evidentiary 
     requirements were determined to have been met under, as 
     applicable--

       (I) clause (ii) of section 101(a)(15)(K) of the Immigration 
     and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(K)), as amended by 
     section 8 of this Act;
       (II) clause (iii)(II) of section 201(b)(2)(A) of that Act 
     (8 U.S.C. 1151(b)(2)(A)), as amended by section 8 of this 
     Act; or
       (III) subparagraph (A)(ii) of section 203(a)(2) of that Act 
     (8 U.S.C. 1153(a)(2)), as amended by section 8 of this Act.

       (B) A summary of feedback from adjudicators of such 
     petitions with respect to whether the evidentiary 
     requirements under the provisions described in subclauses (I) 
     through (III) of subparagraph (A)(ii) provide sufficient 
     guidance, and the manner in which such guidance may be 
     improved.
       (C) Specific conclusions and recommendations with respect 
     to whether a minimum age on the date of marriage should be 
     required for beneficiaries of petitions submitted by their 
     United States citizen or lawful permanent resident spouses.

     SEC. 6. GRANT PROGRAM FOR STATE TASK FORCES TO EXAMINE CHILD 
                   MARRIAGE.

       The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (42 U.S.C. 
     10401 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

     ``SEC. 315. STATE TASK FORCES TO EXAMINE CHILD MARRIAGE.

       ``(a) In General.--
       ``(1) Program.--From amounts made available under 
     subsection (c), the Secretary may award grants, on a 
     competitive basis, to eligible States to establish a State-
     based task force to examine child marriage in the eligible 
     State.
       ``(2) Eligible state.--In this section, the term `eligible 
     State' means a State that permits an individual younger than 
     18 years of age to marry.
       ``(3) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant 
     under paragraph (1), an eligible State shall submit to the 
     Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and 
     containing such information as the Secretary may require.
       ``(b) State Task Force.--
       ``(1) In general.--An eligible State awarded a grant under 
     subsection (a)(1) shall establish a task force to examine 
     child marriage in the eligible State.
       ``(2) Appointees.--A task force established under paragraph 
     (1) shall include individuals with--
       ``(A) advocacy expertise in combating family violence, 
     sexual assault, human trafficking, or child abuse or neglect 
     issues;
       ``(B) experience in social work or school counseling, with 
     preference for such individuals with experience providing 
     culturally specific services;
       ``(C) experience in providing legal assistance to survivors 
     of family violence, sexual assault, or human trafficking, 
     with a preference for such individuals with experience 
     serving such survivors who are younger than 18 years of age;
       ``(D) experience in providing legal assistance to 
     individuals with needs for child protection services, 
     including foster youth, homeless and runaway youth, and youth 
     otherwise at-risk for needing such services;
       ``(E) judicial experience with cases involving child 
     protection and family violence issues;
       ``(F) legal experience with cases involving emancipation, 
     guardianship, or child-specific protection orders, with 
     special preference for such individuals who have worked on 
     cases involving forced or coerced marriage; or
       ``(G) professional medical or mental health experience.
       ``(3) Tasks.--A task force established under paragraph (1) 
     shall--
       ``(A) collect Statewide statistics for each of the 10 years 
     preceding the date of the grant award on the number, age, 
     gender, and residency of individuals in the eligible State 
     who were younger than 18 years of age at the time of the 
     marriage of such individual;
       ``(B) examine the risk factors that lead to child marriage 
     and negative impacts from child marriage in the eligible 
     State, including the relationship between child marriage and 
     threats to a minor's safety, health, and well-being, and 
     including risk factors and impacts such as forced or coerced 
     marriage, family violence, sexual assault, child abuse and 
     neglect, human trafficking, educational impacts, poverty, and 
     other negative impacts on individuals who are younger than 18 
     years of age who marry;
       ``(C) examine whether marriages that include an individual 
     younger than 18 years of age should be prohibited in the 
     eligible State;
       ``(D) develop policy recommendations for the eligible State 
     to address negative impacts of child marriage on individuals 
     and

[[Page S5785]]

     the intersection between child marriage and forced or coerced 
     marriage, family violence, sexual assault, child abuse and 
     neglect, and human trafficking; and
       ``(E) prepare a report with the recommendations of the task 
     force, including on protecting individuals who are younger 
     than 18 years of age from the negative impacts of child 
     marriage and forced or coerced marriages and enabling 
     already-married individuals who are younger than 18 years of 
     age to protect themselves from abuse.
       ``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out this section $375,000 for 
     each of fiscal years 2027 through 2032.''.

     SEC. 7. STATE INCENTIVES TO ELIMINATE CHILD MARRIAGE.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section, the term ``covered 
     formula grant'' means a grant under--
       (1) part T of title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe 
     Streets Act of 1968 (34 U.S.C. 10441 et seq.) (commonly 
     referred to as the ``STOP Violence Against Women Formula 
     Grant Program''); or
       (2) section 41601 of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 
     (34 U.S.C. 12511) (commonly referred to as the ``Sexual 
     Assault Services Program'').
       (b) Increased Funding for Formula Grants Authorized.--The 
     Attorney General shall increase the amount provided to a 
     State under the covered formula grants in accordance with 
     this section if the State has in place a law that prohibits 
     marriage for individuals who have not attained 18 years of 
     age or, if more than 18 years of age, the age of majority for 
     the State.
       (c) Application.--A State seeking an increase in the amount 
     provided to the State under the covered formula grants shall 
     include in the application of the State for each covered 
     formula grant such information as the Attorney General may 
     reasonably require, including information about the law 
     described in subsection (b).
       (d) Grant Increase.--The amount of the increase provided to 
     a State under the covered formula grants under this section 
     shall be equal to not more than 10 percent of the average of 
     the total amount of funding provided to the State under the 
     covered formula grants under the 3 most recent awards to the 
     State.
       (e) Period of Increase.--
       (1) In general.--The Attorney General shall provide an 
     increase in the amount provided to a State under the covered 
     formula grants under this section for a 2-year period.
       (2) Limit.--The Attorney General may not provide an 
     increase in the amount provided to a State under the covered 
     formula grants under this section more than 4 times.
       (f) Allocation of Increased Formula Grant Funds.--The 
     Attorney General shall allocate an increase in the amount 
     provided to a State under the covered formula grants under 
     this section such that--
       (1) 25 percent the amount of the increase is provided under 
     the program described in subsection (a)(1); and
       (2) 75 percent the amount of the increase is provided under 
     the program described in subsection (a)(2).
       (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--If the National 
     Commission to Combat Child Marriage in the United States 
     submits the interim report required under section 4(g)(1), 
     there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
     section $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 
     2032.

     SEC. 8. FEDERAL LIMITATIONS ON CHILD MARRIAGE.

       No property that is on any land or in any building owned 
     by, leased to, or otherwise used by or under the control of 
     the Federal Government may be used to facilitate a marriage 
     unless both of the individuals marrying are at least 18 years 
     of age at the time of the marriage.

     SEC. 9. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE EFFORTS TO ADDRESS CHILD 
                   MARRIAGE.

       (a) In General.--The Attorney General shall establish a 
     working group which shall, not later than 180 days after the 
     date on which the National Commission to Combat Child 
     Marriage in the United States issues the final report 
     required under section 4(g)(3), promulgate a model State 
     statute that prohibits child marriage by requiring a person 
     to be at least 18 years of age or, for a State with an age of 
     majority that is older than 18 years of age, the age of 
     majority in the State, at the time of marriage.
       (b) Composition of the Working Group.--The working group 
     established under subsection (a) shall be composed of 8 
     members, of whom at least 1 member shall be from the 
     following components of the Department of Justice:
       (1) The Office of Legal Policy.
       (2) The Office of Legislative Affairs.
       (3) The Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the 
     Criminal Division.
       (4) The Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section of 
     the Criminal Division.
       (5) The Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit of the Civil 
     Rights Division.
       (6) The Office of Violence Against Women.

     SEC. 10. MODIFICATIONS TO IMMIGRATION PROVISIONS RELATING TO 
                   MARRIAGE.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) In general.--Except as otherwise specifically provided, 
     any term used in this section that is used in the immigration 
     laws shall have the meaning given the term in the immigration 
     laws.
       (2) Immigration laws.--The term ``immigration laws'' has 
     the meaning given the term in section 101(a)(17) of the 
     Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(17)).
       (b) Modifications to Immigration Provisions Relating to 
     Marriage.--
       (1) Definition of noncitizen.--Section 101(a) of the 
     Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)) is amended 
     by adding at the end the following:
       ``(53) The term `noncitizen' means any person who is not a 
     citizen or national of the United States.''.
       (2) Classifications relating to visas for noncitizen 
     fiances and spouses.--
       (A) K visas.--Section 101(a)(15)(K) of the Immigration and 
     Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(K)) is amended to read 
     as follows:
       ``(K) subject to subsections (d) and (r) of section 214, a 
     noncitizen--
       ``(i)(I) who is the fiancee or fiance of a citizen of the 
     United States (other than a citizen described in section 
     204(a)(1)(A)(viii)(I)) who is at least 18 years of age; and
       ``(II) who--
       ``(aa) seeks to enter the United States solely to conclude 
     a valid marriage with the petitioner within ninety days after 
     admission; and
       ``(bb) is at least 18 years of age;
       ``(ii)(I) who has concluded a valid marriage with a citizen 
     of the United States who is the petitioner who is at least 18 
     years of age and was at least 18 years of age on the date of 
     the marriage (other than a citizen described in section 
     204(a)(1)(A)(viii)(I)); and
       ``(II) who--
       ``(aa) is the beneficiary of a petition to accord a status 
     under section 201(b)(2)(A)(i) that was filed under section 
     204 by the petitioner;
       ``(bb) seeks to enter the United States to await the 
     approval of such petition and the availability to the 
     noncitizen of an immigrant visa; and
       ``(cc) is at least 18 years of age, or is at least 16 years 
     of age and is granted a waiver of such age requirement based 
     on a compelling humanitarian reason for the issuance of a 
     visa, arising from a risk of individualized and targeted harm 
     to such noncitizen, and which shall not include parental 
     consent, a child in common with the petitioner, pregnancy, or 
     any combination thereof; or
       ``(iii) who is the minor child of a noncitizen described in 
     clause (i) or (ii) and is accompanying, or following to join, 
     the noncitizen.''.
       (B) Immediate relatives.--Section 201(b)(2)(A) of the 
     Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1151(b)(2)(A)) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(iii) For purposes of this subparagraph, a noncitizen 
     spouse may only be considered the immediate relative of a 
     United States citizen spouse if--
       ``(I) the United States citizen spouse is at least 18 years 
     of age and was at least 18 years of age at the time of 
     marriage; and
       ``(II) the noncitizen spouse is--
       ``(aa) at least 18 years of age; or
       ``(bb) at least 16 years of age and has been granted a 
     waiver of the age requirement under item (aa) based on a 
     compelling humanitarian reason for the issuance of a visa, 
     arising from a risk of individualized and targeted harm to 
     the noncitizen seeking a visa, and which shall not include 
     parental consent, a child in common with the petitioner, 
     pregnancy, or any combination thereof.''.
       (C) Spouses of lawful permanent residents.--Section 
     203(a)(2) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
     1153(a)(2)) is amended by striking subparagraphs (A) and (B) 
     and inserting the following:
       ``(A) who--
       ``(i) are the spouses of noncitizens lawfully admitted for 
     permanent residence aged 18 years or older and who were at 
     least 18 years of age at the time of marriage; and
       ``(ii)(I) are at least 18 years of age; or
       ``(II) are at least 16 years of age and have been granted a 
     waiver of the age requirement under subclause (I) based on a 
     compelling humanitarian reason for the issuance of a visa, 
     arising from a risk of individualized and targeted harm to 
     the noncitizen seeking a visa, and which shall not include 
     parental consent, a child in common with the petitioner, 
     pregnancy, or any combination thereof;
       ``(B) who are the children of noncitizens lawfully admitted 
     for permanent residence; or
       ``(C) who are the unmarried sons or unmarried daughters 
     (but are not the children) of noncitizens lawfully admitted 
     for permanent residence,''.
       (3) Rule of construction.--The amendments made by this 
     subsection may not be construed to preclude, limit, or modify 
     eligibility of any noncitizen spouse subjected to battery or 
     extreme cruelty and otherwise eligible for relief as a VAWA 
     self-petitioner (as defined in section 101(a)(51) of the 
     Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(51))), or 
     any battered spouse (within the meaning of section 240A(b)(2) 
     of that Act (8 U.S.C. 1229b(b)(2))), for any available relief 
     under the immigrations laws without regard to either spouse's 
     age at time of marriage.
       (4) Applicability.--The amendments made by this subsection 
     shall only apply to petitions or applications for any status 
     or benefit under the immigration laws that are filed or 
     otherwise submitted on or after the date of the enactment of 
     this Act.
       (c) Proxy Marriage.--Section 101(a)(35) of the Immigration 
     and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(35)) is amended by 
     striking ``marriage shall have been consummated'' and 
     inserting ``parties have met in person during the 2-year 
     period immediately preceding the date of the ceremony''.
       (d) Public Education on Changes to Immigration Law.--

[[Page S5786]]

       (1) In general.--Beginning on the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security and the 
     Secretary of State, in coordination with the head of any 
     other appropriate Federal agency, shall immediately, and on 
     an ongoing basis, provide educational materials and 
     information to the public, in multiple languages, on the 
     amendments made by this section and the changes to 
     immigration law made by such amendments.
       (2) Elements.--At a minimum, the educational materials and 
     information provided under paragraph (1) shall be--
       (A) made available in multiple languages on the internet 
     website of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, 
     including--
       (i) on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 
     homepage; and
       (ii) at https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/forced-marriage;
       (B) on view in public areas of the offices of U.S. 
     Citizenship and Immigration Services in English and the 1 or 
     more primary languages of the country in which the office is 
     located, as applicable;
       (C) presented through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 
     Services community forums with immigrant communities in the 
     United States;
       (D) provided to all registered immigration legal services 
     providers in the United States for distribution to the 
     community;
       (E) made available on all relevant pages of the internet 
     website of the Department of State;
       (F) on view at United States embassies and consulates, in 
     English and the 1 or more primary languages of the applicable 
     country; and
       (G) incorporated into video advisories on immigration 
     requirements shown at United States embassies, consulates, 
     and ports of entry.
       (e) Promotion of Information on Child Marriage.--
       (1) In general.--Beginning on the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary 
     of Health and Human Services, and the Attorney General, in 
     coordination with the head of any other appropriate Federal 
     agency, shall immediately, and on an ongoing basis, promote 
     information on--
       (A) the harmful impacts of child marriage described in 
     section 2; and
       (B) the governmental and nongovernmental resources an 
     individual may contact to receive support services relating 
     to such impacts.
       (2) Elements.--At a minimum, the information provided under 
     paragraph (1) shall be--
       (A) made available in multiple languages on the internet 
     website of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services;
       (B) presented through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 
     Services community forums with immigrant communities in the 
     United States;
       (C) incorporated into video advisories on immigration 
     requirements shown at United States embassies, consulates, 
     and ports of entry;
       (D) provided to all registered immigration legal services 
     providers and refugee resettlement agencies in the United 
     States or distribution to the community; and
       (E) made available on all relevant pages of the internet 
     website of the Department of State.
       (f) Updates to Immigration Forms.--The instructions for 
     Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relatives) and Form I-129F 
     (Petition for Alien Fiance(e)) shall be updated to reflect 
     the amendments made by this section and the modifications to 
     the immigration laws made by such amendments.
       (g) Public Education.--
       (1) In general.--Beginning on the date of the enactment of 
     this Act, the Federal Government shall immediately, and on an 
     ongoing basis, provide educational materials and information 
     to the public, in multiple languages, on the amendments made 
     by this section and the changes to immigration law made by 
     such amendments.
       (2) Elements.--At a minimum, the educational materials and 
     information provided under paragraph (1) shall be--
       (A) made available on the internet website of U.S. 
     Citizenship and Immigration Services, including--
       (i) on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services 
     homepage; and
       (ii) at https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/forced-marriage;
       (B) on view in publicly accessible areas of the offices of 
     U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services;
       (C) presented through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 
     Services community forums with immigrant communities in the 
     United States;
       (D) provided to all registered immigration legal services 
     providers in the United States for distribution to the 
     community;
       (E) made available on the internet website of the 
     Department of State, including at--
       (i) https://travel.state.gov/content/travel.html;
       (ii) https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-
visas.html; and
       (iii) https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/
international-travel/emergencies/forced-marriage.html;
       (F) on view at United States embassies and consulates, in 
     English and the 1 or more primary languages of the applicable 
     country;
       (G) incorporated into video advisories on immigration 
     requirements shown at United States embassies, consulates, 
     and ports of entry; and
       (H) included in the advisory pamphlet required under 
     section 833 of the International Marriage Broker Regulation 
     Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-162; 119 Stat. 3068) entitled 
     ``Information on the Legal Rights Available to Immigrant 
     Victims of Domestic Violence in the United States and Facts 
     about Immigrating on a Marriage-Based Visa'', which is 
     distributed directly to applicants for family-based 
     immigration petitions at all consular and adjustment 
     interviews for marriage-based visas.
       (h) Distribution of Department of Homeland Security Gender-
     based Violence Pamphlet (gbv Pamphlet).--The gender-based 
     violence pamphlet developed by the Department of Homeland 
     Security as part of the Blue Campaign (referred to in this 
     subsection as the ``GBV pamphlet'') shall be made available 
     and distributed as follows:
       (1) Inclusion in immigration forms.--The instructions for 
     Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relatives) and Form I-129F 
     (Petition for Alien Fiance(e)) shall include--
       (A) the GBV pamphlet in its entirety, in English, under the 
     following section heading: ``The pamphlet below describes 
     what gender-based violence (GBV) is, who is affected by GBV, 
     and how and where to seek help if you or someone you know is 
     experiencing any form of GBV. These materials are also 
     available in Arabic, Bengali, Chinese (Traditional), French, 
     Hindi, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Spanish, and Urdu.''; and
       (B) within the section heading preceding the GBV pamphlet 
     described in subparagraph (A), a link to the Blue Campaign 
     GBV pamphlet landing page, https://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign/
publication/gender-based-pamphlets-and-flyers.
       (2) Mailing to petitioner and beneficiary.--
       (A) In general.--The Director of U.S. Citizenship and 
     Immigration Services shall mail the GBV pamphlet to each 
     petitioner and beneficiary of a K nonimmigrant visa pursuant 
     to section 101(a)(15)(K) (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(K)) upon 
     receipt of an application for such a visa.
       (B) Language.--Each GBV pamphlet mailed under subparagraph 
     (A) shall be the version in the primary language of the 
     petitioner and the primary language of the beneficiary, or in 
     English if a translation into such language is unavailable.
       (3) Posting on national visa center website.--The Secretary 
     of State shall post the GBV pamphlet on the internet website 
     of--
       (A) the National Visa Center; and
       (B) each consular post that processes K nonimmigrant visa 
     applications.
       (4) Consular interviews.--
       (A) In general.--The Secretary of State shall ensure that 
     the GBV pamphlet is distributed directly to K nonimmigrant 
     visa applicants at all consular interviews for such visas.
       (B) Language.--If a written translation of the GBV pamphlet 
     is unavailable in an applicant's primary language, the 
     consular officer conducting the visa interview shall--
       (i) review the contents of pamphlet with the applicant 
     orally in the applicant's primary language; and
       (ii) distribute the pamphlet to the applicant in English.
       (5) Display and availability at embassies and consulates.--
     The Secretary of State shall ensure that the GBV pamphlet--
       (A) is displayed at each United States embassy and 
     consulate; and
       (B) made available in English and, if available, the 
     primary language of the location of the embassy or consulate.
       (6) Display and availability at u.s. citizenship and 
     immigration services offices.--The Secretary of Homeland 
     Security shall ensure that the GBV pamphlet is displayed and 
     made available in English at each U.S. Citizenship and 
     Immigration Services office at which applicant interviews for 
     K nonimmigrant visas are conducted.

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